Motion in One Dimension

The study of motion is called kinematics. Displacement of a point particle:

4x = x2 − x1

where x1 is the position at time t1 and x2 is the position at time t2, t2 > t1. The
average velocity, Tipler figure 2-4, is defined by:

4x x2 − x1
vav = =
4t t2 − t1

The average velocity can take positive or negative values. The average speed is
defined by:
total distance 4s
Average speed = = ≥0
total time 4t

1
 Instantaneous velocity, Tipler figure 2-5:

4x x − x2 d x
v(t) = lim = lim =
4t→0 4t t2 →t t − t2 dt
This is the slope of the tangent of the curve x(t) at t and called derivative. Note:
t = t1, x = x1 of the difference notation. The instantaneous speed is the absolute
value |v(t)| of the instantaneous velocity.

Relative velocity: If a particle p moves with velocity vpA relative to

a coordinate system A, which moves with velocity vAB relative to a coordinate
system B, the velocity of p with respect to B is

vpB = vpA + vAB

This equation is only valid for velocities |v|  c, where c is the speed of light.

2
Acceleration: Acceleration is the rate of change of the instantaneous
velocity. The average acceleration is defined by:

4v v2 − v1
aav = =
4t t2 − t1

The instantaneous acceleration is:

4v v − v2 d v d2x
a(t) = lim = lim = = 2
4t→0 4t t2 →t t − t2 dt dt

Motion With Constant Acceleration

dv
= a = aav
dt
Integration:
dx
v(t) = = v0 + a t
dt
3
Here v0 is the velocity at time zero, called initial condition.

Second integration:
1 2
x(t) = x0 + v0 t + at
2
Here x0 is the second initial condition, the position at time zero.

Illustrations: (a) Air track; (b) constant acceleration of free fall.

Note,

1 1 v − v0 v 2 − v02
4x = x − x0 = vav t = (v + v0) t = (v + v0) =
2 2 a 2a

v 2 = v02 + 2 a 4x

General integration: Tipler figure 2-18.

4
 Questions (PRS)

Units: The meter is nowadays defined by

1. Scratches on a platinium-iridium alloy kept at the International Bureau of

Weights and Measures in Sèvres, France.

2. As a fraction of the circumference of the earth around the equator.

3. As a distance traveled by the speed of light in vacuum during a certain time.

5
 Significant figures: The experimental measurements 2.50 m and 2.496 m

1. Disagree.

2. Are identical.

3. Agree within measurement errors.

Order of magnitude: The number 250 has the order of magnitude

1. 10

2. 102

3. 103

4. 2.5 × 102

6
 Relative velocity: A swimmer moves a river upstream with the velocity of
1.20 km/h relative to the water. The speed of the water is 0.1 m/s relative to the
ground. The velocity of the swimmer over ground (positive upstream) is

1. 0 km/h

2. +3000 m/s

3. +0.84 km/h

4. −0.84 km/h

5. −3000 m/s

7
Acceleration: Assume the acceleration of a point particle is a = 0. The following
holds:

1. v(t) = v0

2. v(t) = v0 + t

3. v(t) = v0 t

1. x(t) = x0

2. x(t) = x0 + v0 t

3. x(t) = x0 + 12 v0 t